In the supermarket, flour packets displaying a tricolor flag can give the impression of buying French. However, the origin of wheat and the place where it is processed are two different things. According to data relayed by the RTL media, nearly one in four packets of flour sold in supermarkets is not milled in France. A paradox, since France is one of the world’s main producers of wheat.
French wheat, German flour: how is this possible?
France produces around 35 million tonnes of soft wheat each year. It is thus the 5th producer in the world and the first in Europe. Enough, in theory, to largely cover the country’s flour needs.
However, some of the flour sold in large retailers, particularly private labels and entry-level products, is made in Germany. Olivier Dauvers, consumption specialist on RTL, notably highlighted this phenomenon, taken up by the Marmiton site.
Concretely, the wheat is harvested in France, then transported to Germany, where it is milled. The flour is then packaged in bags before returning to France and being sold in supermarkets.
The problem is therefore not the quantity of wheat available in France. It is above all a question of transformation and costs.
Why grind French wheat in Germany?
The answer lies largely in production costs. According to Olivier Dauvers, German mills have highly automated installations and lower industrial costs. For mass distribution players, who seek to offer ever lower prices, particularly on entry-level flours, this difference can weigh heavily in the balance.
Transportation also enters the equation. As long as it costs less to send the wheat to a German mill than to have it processed in France, the choice can remain economically interesting for manufacturers.
But this organization is not without consequences. The wheat must travel several hundred kilometers to the mill, then the flour must be transported again to France. A circuit which inevitably raises questions about the environmental impact of the final product.
How do you know if your flour is really milled in France?
This is where labeling can be confusing. The presence of a French flag on a package does not necessarily mean that the flour was made in France.
Since April 1, 2020, the origin of the wheat must be indicated, with a statement such as “French wheat”. But this information relates to the wheat used and not necessarily where it was transformed into flour.
In other words, flour can be made in Germany while still being produced from French wheat.
To find out where your flour was actually made, it is better to look at the information on the packaging. The Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) recommends in particular looking for explicit indications such as “made in France” or “ground in France”.
And if the labeling seems misleading to you or if you have any doubts about the origin of the product, you can always report it on the SignalConso platform.